One of the basic functions in all types of telecommunication networks is the setup of communication connections such that a user end terminal desiring to establish a communication connection to another, remote terminal is provided with the necessary share of resources. In wireless communication systems, e.g. as illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1b, allocation of resources implies on the one hand the allocation of radio resources in the radio access network 15a,15b and, on the other hand, resources in the core network 11a,11b. FIG. 1a illustrates a part of a Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) as specified in Release 99 of the specifications issued by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). A user equipment 14a is connected via a radio connection to at least one radio base station 13a (or NodeB), where in turn several base stations are controlled by a radio network controller 12a, which also provides a connection interface to the core network 11a. FIG. 1b illustrates correspondingly a part of an evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) as specified in Release 8 of the specifications issued by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). User equipments 14b are connected to an evolved Node B (eNB) 13b, which in turn is connected to an entity 12b that is responsible for mobility management, user plane activities, and handles the necessary connections to the core network 11b. 
The signalling protocols used between the network and the user equipment (terminal) are divided into Access Stratum (AS) and Non-Access Stratum (NAS) protocols. The Non-Access Stratum protocols, e.g. Session Management (SM), Mobility management (MM), are terminated in the terminal (UE) and core network (CN) and are sent transparently via the Radio Access Network (RAN). The Access Stratum protocols (e.g. Radio Resource Control (RRC), Radio Link Control (RLC), Medium Access Control (MAC)) are terminated in the UE and RAN, and are not visible in the CN. Additionally there is an Iu-like signalling between the RAN and CN which is not visible to the UE.
Connection setup is done by a random access procedure on a special channel Random Access Channel (RACH). Basically, as several users can make use of this channel it is necessary, in case of more than one access request, to resolve which user may momentarily use it. For optimization of the accessibility of the network to the user equipments it is desirable that the access procedure is performed without undue delays. The connection setup procedure as performed in UTRAN and applying a sequential approach is illustrated in FIG. 2a. The user equipment sends the “RRC Connection Request” message to the Node B and finalizes this procedure by sending a “RRC Connection Setup Complete” message after having received a “RRC Connection Setup” message from the Node B. Then, subsequently, the user equipment sends the “Initial NAS Message” and, possibly, further optional NAS Signaling and waits for a “NAS Response” message delivered via the Node B. Correspondingly, FIG. 2b illustrates the connection setup procedure as currently assumed for E-UTRAN where “RRC Connection Request” message and “Initial NAS Message” are sent in parallel.
In general it has been focused to optimize the connection setup by fastening the initial setup procedures. One means to fasten said setup is to allow a parallel execution of the RRC Connection Request procedure and the subsequent Non-Access Stratum procedures, which is shown in FIG. 2b whereas in UTRAN, as shown in FIG. 2a, RRC Connection Request and NAS signaling are performed sequentially. Thus, E-UTRAN provides a faster way of setting up a connection.